The lawmakers, staffers, lobbyists and others in the three Siouxland state legislatures are knee deep in their sessions here at the end of February.
Earlier in the month, we had a discussion to catch up on some key issues that are being discussed and funneled into legislation in the Iowa Legislature.
We are now onto a third straight year where What’s The Frequency also checks in with a show concerning the main issues in the South Dakota and Nebraska legislatures.
My guests are South Dakota state representative Kadyn Wittman, and South Dakota Public Broadcasting journalist Josh Chilson, who has covered the Legislature for years.
Republicans hold strong majorities in both South Dakota chambers, so they are poised to put in place some changes if they can agree.
The South Dakota session began on January 13, and is planned to end first of the three Siouxland legislatures, on March 13.
You will hear discussions of data center bills, property and county taxes, and whether the so-called Big 3 group in South Dakota will get zero percent increases for the 2026-27 budget. The Big 3 covers school funding, state employees and health care.
Chilson said every year seems to have its own dynamics, and described which big things need to play out to end the session by March 13.
He also talked about how the 2026 governor contest is coloring some legislative machinations this session.
Additionally, we also check in on the latest bills of note in Nebraska, which include property taxes, medical marijuana details and SNAP benefits. The Nebraska session is running from January 7 to April 20.
And we also briefly make a pit stop at the Iowa Legislature, where lawmakers reached the first funnel deadline for the 2026 session last week.
The first funnel deadline is when a bill has to have moved forward from at least one chamber committee for further consideration. Measures in the appropriations or ways and means committee are exempt from the funnel deadline.
Some Iowa bills that passed the first deadline include eminent domain usage restrictions, eliminating vaccine requirements, restricting abortion medication, and allowing guns locked in vehicles to be on school grounds.
Bills that failed to advance include criminalizing abortions, removing obscenity exemptions for libraries, and eliminating tenure for higher education professionals.
*Click on the audio link above to hear the entire show.
What's The Frequency, Episode 96.
